FAQs

1. Should I Notify Oregon State Treasury?

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you must notify Oregon State Treasury of the death.

  • Did they die without known heirs (see note below)?
  • Is there abandoned property left behind by a deceased person?
  • Is there no will and no trust documents?

NOTE: A known heir is one who has been identified and found.

2. Notification of Death

Notification of a death to Oregon State Treasury must include as much of the following information as possible.

  • Name
  • Date of death
  • Date of birth
  • Place of death
  • Social security number
  • Last known address
  • Names of possible family / friends
3. What to do if you have a Missing Heir

As soon as you know there is a missing heir you should report this to Oregon State Treasury pursuant to ORS 113.045(2).

When you are ready to finalize the estate and distribute funds

If there is a portion of the estate to distribute to the missing heir, a cover letter can be used to provide us any information you have about the missing heir; you do not need a special form. Include the missing heir’s name, last known address, and any effort you went through to find them.

We require that you provide us with an order to escheat that has been filed with the court. It will need to have either the judge’s signature or the courts stamp showing the date of receipt.

We also like to have any other information you have regarding the estate that will help us if the heir comes forward at a later date to include a copy of the will and death certificate if you have them. If you do not have a death certificate, provide the date of death of the decedent.

Make the check payable to the "Oregon State Treasury".

If you have further questions, contact the Senior Reporting and Compliance Analyst at 503-986-5290 or email holder@ost.state.or.us.

For any mail, please send to the program at:

Oregon State Treasury
Unclaimed Property Program
867 Hawthorne Ave. SE
Salem, OR 97301

4. Disposition of Personal Property Abandoned by Tenant

Refer to ORS 90.425 for guidance in the disposition of personal property abandoned by tenant

The Oregon State Treasury recommends that you contact an attorney for any legal questions interpreting the laws regarding the disposition of personal property abandoned by tenant.

ORS 90.425, 21(b) (C)- Notice required under 90.425 (3) must be sent to Oregon State Treasury.

Mail the completed notice to:

Oregon State Treasury
Estates Administration Program
867 Hawthorne Ave. SE
Salem, OR 97301

Or email form to: estates.escheat@ost.state.or.us

Where to obtain the notice/form?

The State of Oregon does not generate the form. Individuals/businesses are responsible for generating a form which is compliant with Oregon laws and addresses individual business needs.

The below resources are provided by Oregon State Treasury to assist in creating the Abandoned Property Notice Form:

The Oregon State Bar website may have resources: www.osbar.org

Stevens-Ness Law Publishing Co. a provider of legal forms
https://stevensness.com/collections/stevens-ness-forms
Form Number: 539
Form Title: Abandoned Property Notice (Personal Property Only)
The form is designed for use in Oregon

5. What to do if you are the Representative Payee

Before reporting your client funds, it is important to contact the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) Estates Administrative Unit to determine if they have a priority claim to the funds.

Remaining funds may be reported to Oregon State Treasury. A report should be prepared on letterhead that includes the following:

Name of deceased
Last known address
Social security number
Date of birth
Date of death
Amount of funds that you are reporting

Make the check payable to the "Oregon State Treasury".

If you have further questions, please email holder@ost.state.or.us.